Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James returned to his seat as the most talked about player in the NBA during the team’s 2024-25 media day on Monday and addressed one key topic surrounding his future that has caused much speculation for well over a year running.
Lakers’ LeBron James is “living in the moment” as retirement draws closer
As Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation shared on X on Monday, James, 39, dismissed the idea of retirement when speaking to the media at the UCLA Health Training Center, and also elaborated on his current mindset regarding the future of his certain Hall of Fame-worthy career by saying (h/t Corey Hansford of Lakers Nation):
“I haven’t thought about what the future holds, just kind of living in the moment. Especially with Bronny being here, I don’t want to take this moment for granted. This is a moment I’ll enjoy maybe a little bit more,” James remarked.
James was still a top-10 player in the NBA last season
The four-time NBA MVP is no longer the unequivocal best player in the sport after a decade-long run at that helm. Nevertheless, he was still an All-NBA Third Team honoree last season and for the third consecutive campaign, thanks to his 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game on an incredible 54 percent shooting from the field and career-high 41 percent clip from three-point range — the first time he’d ever cracked 40 percent or better from deep in his 21-year tenure in the Association.
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James is still in a position to compete for a championship and make history in 2024-25
Additionally, as Hansford also relayed per Lakers reporter Ryan Ward on X, the the Ohio native stated that his dominant tear through the 2024 Summer Olympics, which saw him take home Olympics Basketball MVP honors for the gold medal-winning Team USA made him feel like he still has “a lot left in the tank.”
That, coupled with the fact that the Lakers still have a roster that, on paper, can win next season’s NBA Finals without anyone wondering how, offers up a circumstance where James could play for several more seasons running.
Plus, if he needed any added incentive, playing alongside his son Bronny James next time out will not only make history, but allow him to find something within himself to go after it at his advanced age, especially considering that he’s achieved all that there is to achieve in the league.
If James’ numbers from a year ago were halved, he’d still be a starting-caliber player in the league. Ultimately, retirement will come on his own terms, but from the looks of things, those terms may need a while to get drafted up.
